silence

noun

  1. 1

    a refusal to speak when expected

    his silence about my contribution was surprising

  2. 2

    the trait of keeping things secret

  3. 3

    the absence of sound

    he needed silence in order to sleep

    the street was quiet

  4. 4

    the state of being silent (as when no one is speaking)

    there was a shocked silence

    he gestured for silence

verb

  1. 1

    cause to be quiet or not talk

    Please silence the children in the church!

  2. 2

    keep from expression, for example by threats or pressure

    All dissenters were silenced when the dictator assumed power

Synonyms

Also useful for “silence”:Unscrambler